How Jimi Juxtaposed Guitar and Music

 by Indie Stone

Becoming a sonorous sensation in a time where a whirlwind of great guitarists such as Eric Clapton, Carlos Santana, Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page, and the Rolling Stones’ Keith Richards, Mr. Hendrix managed to acquire himself the grand title of being one of the instrument’s most eloquent virtuosi. Having Page himself declaring that Jimi Hendrix was “the best guitarist any of us ever had”, the man also compelled Eric Clampton into mumbling: “You never told me he was that ******* good.”

Scarcely any could make an axe sing like Hendrix did.  Nevertheless, his talent did not solely pull him along by a tether - it would take him a full album to flaunt 'Hendrix's Trix'. With giants in the industry at the time such as the Beatles placing 'Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band' on the top spot of the British charts, Jimi's 'Are You Experienced'  was backpedalled (geddit?) by the insect inspired rock hand. Despite this disappointing setback, his eccentric array of newly crafted effects such as reverse drum playing, free-form solos and the incorporations of groans and whines from huge amplifiers stacked on top of each other. 'I Don't Live Today', a significant turning point in the magician's career, launched the good ol' wah-wah effect. Suddenly developing each fretted note into the signature 'Hendrix Sound', each one oscillated with that wonderful 'wah' reverberation. Becoming a recurring and popular theme in his most famous riffs and solos, the distinctive murmuration of the six-strings fabricated the most notable solo of 'All Along the Watchtower', and the entrancing starting riff of 'Voodoo Child (Slight Return)'.

With other guitarists meddling and messing around with these pedalled amplifier effects, in my most biased opinion, none could match the true hypnotic tone that Jimi plucked out of his guitar. Although the renowned musician, Eric Clapton, fiddled around with the wah-wah, and George Harrison used some of Hendrix's quirky techniques such as reverse tapping, Jimi used them amply. 

The guitar was typically the lead voice in his songs, whether it wept and moaned or fuzzed and squealed. By shredding his signature Fender Stratocaster behind his back to give the wondrous illusion that he was picking with his teeth or using his significantly large hands to use obscure blues techniques, the most apparent feat he completed was officially turning his Strat into a dangerous weapon. 

He was capable of conveying awe, sadness and thrill all at the same time. But Hendrix's legacy was a lot more than just picking the right notes and turning the amp to the max. 

Jimi juxtaposed what it means to shred the electric guitar and create music that will remain sensational for years to come.